Consumer’s voice on brand experience is much public now then it was a few years ago (Design Council 2013)

Designers are not only optimising for CX but are simultaneously optimising for non-human experience [about SEO and hidden navigation] (John Maeda x DIT Report 2017)

Aims and Scope

The aim of this new design-led conference is to establish a new forum for brand research and discussion, putting Design (both as a process and a humanist approach) at its core as one of the most relevant disciplines of branding itself. It is expected that inter and transdisciplinary aspects of design-led branding methods, approaches and experiences can be discussed and how these have impact in human life and in our planet's sustainability.

The conference seeks mainly to focus on the vital and underrepresented role of Design theories and practices in Branding, addressing the role of Design in brand-oriented innovation processes, the emerging forms of brand design practice, and the possible links between design researchers and practitioners to learn from each other.

Why should you sponsor?

Targeted audience of 100 attendees with an interest in branding and design, communication, media, both from academia and industry.

The organising committee is establishing a partnership with the London Design Festival 2018, which will take place during the same week. This festival alone deals with significant audiences, with an estimated direct audience of over 375,000 people, from over 75 countries. This link and the fact that we'll be part of all their collateral and communications may well increase our initial estimated audience.

Opportunity for promoting specific content and expertise.

International and cross-disciplinary exposure for your products and services.

Potentially meeting experts in the field and have your own brand under scrutinity by the right people.

My name is Catarina Lelis and I'm a senior lecturer in Branding and Innovation at the University of West London.

I began my professional experience in 1997 as a graphic designer. A few years later, I co-founded a technology-based company, a publishing start-up and the Portuguese Association for Innovation and Creativity in Organisations. In academia exploring brand design since 2007, I was recognised and funded by FCT, a Portuguese research funding agency. My PhD won the first edition of IdeaPuzzle Award and was the foundation for OurBrand®, a technological solution to generate participatory brand centres, which won a national entrepreneurship contest and was a semi-finalist of MIT-Portugal Innovation & Entrepreneurship Competition.

I have a genuine interest in sustainability and I am very interested in creating a network of experts that together will find a way for brands (capitalist by definition) to have a role maintaining and securing our planet, as opposed to what currently happens.

This conference will be the kick-off moment of such a network and it will happen at a time of the year in which London gathers thousands of designers.